According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Shamonda virus belongs to the Peribunyaviridae family and Orthobunyavirus genus. It is closely related to the Schmallenberg virus and primarily affects cattle, sheep, goats and horses.
The virus was first isolated from cattle in Nigeria in 1965 and was subsequently reported in parts of Africa and Japan. In 2026, it was detected in European livestock, including cattle in Germany and Switzerland.
The first reported human infection marks a significant development. However, decades of known circulation among animals without documented human cases suggest that its ability to infect people requires further investigation.
TOI spoke to Dr Palleti Siva Karthik Reddy, MBBS MD general medicine, FAIG, Consultant physician at Elite Care Clinic, who explained, “The recent detection of the first documented human infection in France is noteworthy because the virus was not previously recognised as a cause of human disease. The patient had severe immunosuppression and was being treated for a serious underlying illness before subsequently dying. However, it is important to distinguish between detecting an infection and establishing that the virus caused the patient’s death. Investigations are ongoing.”